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Red Bull star Max Verstappen is participating in this weekend's ADAC Nürburgring Langstrecken-Serie (NLS) race. However, it wasn't as straightforward as just jumping in the car and taking to the circuit. Red Bull advisor Helmut Marko came out and hailed Verstappen’s ‘positivity’ despite the bureaucracy at Nurburgring.
Verstappen is a four-time F1 champion and is arguably one of the best drivers on the planet at the moment. However, to officially race in the NLS, the Red Bull Racing driver had to pass a test and prove himself in the lower-class cars to get the A-class license.
After Max Verstappen confirmed his decision to race at the Nurburgring, the Dutchman had to first take an example with the German Motor Sport Federation (DMSB) on Friday. After passing the exam, the F1 champion was given a B-Class licence, meaning he could race in the Cup3 class.
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Since Verstappen was making his debut, he couldn't race a car with more than 300 hp and was put in a defined Porsche Cayman GT4 CS, which otherwise produces 425 hp. The F1 star would have to complete 14 laps around the Nordschleife Nurburgring and finish 2 races before getting the A-class license to race the GT3.
Despite being a four-time champion of the pinnacle of motorsports and having spent multiple hours in the simulator around Nurburgring in GT3 cars, no exceptions were made for Verstappen, who had to go through this process. Helmut Marko came out and pointed out the Nurburgring bureaucracy, but suggested that Verstappen had a positive outlook.
“Despite the terrible bureaucracy at the Nürburgring, he's extremely positive and goes along with everything. He doesn't seek special treatment on his own. That's another thing that sets him apart.” (via F1-insider)
Despite being in a slower car with a 125 hp disadvantage to other Cup3 cars, Max Verstappen was able to qualify P6 in the Cup3 class and was just 15 seconds behind the class leader. The Dutchman was over 25 seconds faster than the next car running the same spec as him (Cup3 G).
Former F1 driver approves Nurburgring’s decision to make no exceptions for Max Verstappen
Max Verstappen has raced the Nurburgring GP circuit as well as the Nordschleife in simulators. Earlier this year, the Dutchman took to the iconic circuit and set unofficial lap times in the GT3 car. Yet, DMSB officials decided to make no exceptions for the four-time F1 champion.
Former F1 driver Timo Glock came out and was in support of Nurburgring's decision to make no exceptions for the Dutchman, as he said,
“Once you start making exceptions, they're all there. The fact is: the Nordschleife is different, and the races are different too. I think it's good that they're taking the hard route and saying that the same applies to everyone.” (via Motorsport-Magazin)
“I asked myself this question when I got my permit. Afterwards, I realised it made sense. If I hadn't done it myself, I might have seen it differently,” he added
Max Verstappen could've opted to race in a lower Cup class where the regulations limit the cars to 300 horsepower. However, those cars are generally front-engined with either front-wheel or rear-wheel drive, whereas the Cayman GT4 CS is a mid-engine, rear-wheel drive car, which is similar to the setup of the GT3 cars, which Verstappen plans to drive.
